Russian law enforcement has intensified raids on gyms and martial arts clubs across major cities, targeting migrants and military-age men as part of what rights activists describe as a sweeping crackdown tied to the country’s spring conscription drive.
In late March, officers raided a Spirit Fitness gym in southwest Moscow, ordering patrons to lie face-down on the floor and reportedly sorting individuals based on appearance—separating those who looked “Russian” from those who didn’t, according to eyewitness accounts.
“I was just running on the treadmill, watching Dota, when someone tapped my shoulder,” one witness told local media. “I stepped off and saw everyone already on the floor.” The man said he was released because he had valid ID and military documents. “But those without passports or dodging the enlistment office had problems,” he added.
Similar incidents have occurred at other Spirit Fitness branches and gyms in St. Petersburg, Irkutsk, Yekaterinburg, and Krasnodar, according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Sever Realii. In one case, police disrupted a children’s martial arts class in Krasnodar, forcing both children and parents to the floor.
Lawyers across several regions report that such raids now occur roughly twice a month. Russian nationals are often sent to enlistment offices, while foreign nationals—especially those without documentation—are held in temporary detention centers, with many facing deportation.
In some cases, military officials accompany police to issue draft notices on the spot. Activists say naturalized citizens who previously avoided military service are being coerced into signing military contracts under threat of deportation or revocation of citizenship.
Human rights advocate Valentina Chupik told Sever Realii that authorities sometimes issue fabricated citations to justify deportation. Another activist, identified as Alexander, said sports clubs frequented by ethnic minorities have been systematically targeted for the past two months.
“Authorities have long viewed group sports among minorities as suspicious, labeling them as potential hotbeds for extremism,” Alexander said. “Since the Crocus attack, law enforcement has been raiding ‘non-Slavic’ gyms almost like clockwork.”
The March 2024 Crocus City Hall attack, allegedly carried out by Tajik nationals, prompted mass arrests of migrants across Russia. According to the Federal Bailiff Service, over 80,000 foreign nationals were deported in 2023—nearly double the previous year’s total.
